Palladium Books® Weekly Update – Jan. 6, 2017

By Kevin Siembieda

Happy New Year!

May the New Year bring us all good health, prosperity and joy. I

I hope your New Year’s weekend was a fun one. We were back to work on Monday with a lot of extended Christmas Surprise Package orders to fill. (You can still order one up through January 15, 2017.) That Friday and Saturday we were busy with warehouse inventory and the rest of the week seemed like one meeting and planning session after another. Some going late into the night. There have been three nights this week that I have not gotten home before 11:00 PM. Crazy, right? But awesome things are coming.

Some of these meetings involved third party projects that are likely to take 2-3 years before they launch, but we need to lay the groundwork for them now. This includes possible film, television and videogame ventures, and none of them Rifts®. Oddly, this makes them especially exciting because we are used to everyone being interested in Rifts®, not our other I.P.s like Nightbane® or Splicers®, among others.

That does not include projects already in the works, like Rifts® for Savage Worlds hitting stores in the next month or so, and Rogue Heroes LLC’s still untitled Rifts® Board Game being created by Carmen Bellaire (Carmen’s Kickstarter should happen in March or April). Nor our own big plans for Rifts®, Robotech®, Heroes Unlimited™, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Splicers®,Dead Reign®, and others. All of this has meant creative meetings, scheduling discussions, wrangling talent and financial planning. The week has been so full of such meetings that I’m going to keep this Weekly Update short and fun, and offer up more details next week.

9 days left to get your Surprise Package

Extending the Surprise Package offer has become as much a tradition as the offer itself. We do it because we realize many of you are so full of the Christmas Spirit that you spend your money on gifts for your loved ones rather than yourself. This wonderful act of charity often leaves no money for you to buy a Palladium Surprise Package for yourself during the Christmas Season. We think that sacrifice deserves a reward, so we extend the offer so you selfless souls still have a chance to get yourself a Grab Bag after the holidays. (We know this happens because a lot of people over the years have thanked us for the extension for this very reason.)

This year, with so many Savage Worlds players discovering Rifts® for the first time, it gives them the opportunity to get $90-100+ worth of Rifts® books or miniatures for $45 (plus shipping)! And as always, available staff and freelancers are happy to sign all the books in the Surprise Package if you want us to. PLEASE let Rifts® Savage Worlds players know about this great deal.

They also make great gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Valentine’s Day and other occasions happening in January and February. And it gives you Johnny Come-Latelies one last chance to snag this great offer.

Only 9 days left. You only have this weekend and the next to get your Surprise Package. The 2016 Surprise Package offer will NOT be extended further. This is your last chance until next Christmas, so do not delay in placing your order now, before you forget.

UPDATE: Rifts® Board Game by Rogue Heroes LLC

All those meetings means visitors coming in to discuss projects, proposals and development plans. We showed one such gentleman the growing number of digital sculpts and some of the card art for the Rifts® board game that Palladium has already approved, and he was blown away by what he saw. And this not a guy who is easy to impress. I expect that kind of reaction from gamers who play Rifts® but not from a Hollywood guy. It only confirmed that Carmen Bellaire is creating something outstanding. We tip our hats to Carmen, his talented crew of sculptors and the artists working on this exciting project.

UPDATE: Rifts® for Savage Worlds

It is our understanding that most Kickstarter backers have now had their rewards shipped to them (we got ours), and that the RPG books and related products, like game shield and maps, will be hitting store shelves in a month or so. I know I saw listings and descriptions in at least two trade publications. Coming to a store near you, very soon.

If you are planning to run any Palladium gaming events at Gen Con, PLEASE finalize your descriptions and details, and start sending them in to NMI. Any Megaversal Ambassador can help, but NMI is the primary event coordinator for Gen Con. Remember, getting your descriptions, time, etc., to Palladium early, helps us get you a dedicated room location to run your games. We appreciate ALL of you, and love that you run games at Gen Con. ALL games and settings wanted. Thank you.

Closing thoughts

Thanks for letting me do a short Update, as I am feeling pretty wiped out and not up to writing anything more extensive. Much more to come. I will close with another round of fan comments from the Surprise Packages. Don’t forget, you only have this weekend and the next to get your Surprise Package.

– Kevin Siembieda, Game Designer, Writer, Publisher

Comments from Palladium fans like you

Here are more comments from Surprise Packages by fans like you. Sharing these comments is a way to acknowledge at least some of our wonderful fans. I try to give a short response to most comments in brackets after the comment. Our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of you who have shared your thoughts and kind words with us.

B.G. in Shelbyville, Tennessee, writes: Two bags, one for an experienced gamer, one for a new player. I love these Grab Bags!

[Thanks B.G., glad you like the Surprise Packages so much and that you are spreading the fun. Game on! – KS]

D.B. in West Valley City, Utah, writes: I’ve been playing Rifts® since it was released. Still my favorite RPG system. Thank you.

[Awesome, D.B., wait till you see what’s coming for it later this year. – KS]

B.G. in Harrisburg, Virginia, writes: Favorites: Can you tell I like Rifts®? I also love the Robotech® books. Heck, I remember Kevin when he was doing material for Judges Guild!

[Better be careful, B.G., you are dating yourself (and me). lol. I doubt most people have even heard of Judges Guild. Thanks all the same. Game on! – KS]

J.W. in Green Bay, Wisconsin, writes (in part): I have never had much opportunity to play Rifts® with people, but I do love the world, the lore, and the artwork. I’ve been buying them periodically over the years, here and there, simply because they are fun to read and imagine the setting.

[Thank you, J.W., our game books are a fun read, and boy, do we have some great artists. Too bad you don’t get to play more. Happy New Year. – KS]

D.F. in Plymouth, Connecticut, writes: I really enjoy Palladium’s games and have for many years. Please keep releasing books and products, both physically and digitally. I would really like to see more of the great art from your books made available as prints – especially some of the superhero art. I hope 2017 is a great year for you.

[Thank you, D.F., I hope 2017 is a great year for you too. Thanks for the good suggestion. We appreciate hearing what our customers might like to see as new products. Are you aware of the Rifts® Poker Decks? Both are sweet and people are loving them. Each card has a different illustration on it. And you can count on more physical and digital products in 2017. A lot more. – KS]

J.B. in Toronto, Canada, writes: I fell in love with Palladium Books with the original Robotech®, then the Palladium Fantasy RPG® and finally Rifts®. I’m sad to say I was never able to complete my collection of original Robotech® books ... but have been collecting Rifts® ... anyway, love the products and will continue to collect as often as I can.

[Good luck, J.B., we’ll have plenty of new titles for you to collect in the New Year. – KS]

J.W. in Walla Walla, Washington, writes (in part): I have been gaming for almost 5 years and I am a new G.M. for a Dead Reign® campaign and I love it.

[Welcome to being a Game Master, J.W., have fun with it. I love being a G.M. and I am not surprised you are loving Dead Reign®, I have a blast with it every time I run it. Keep your imagination burning bright. – KS]

S.R. in Salem, Oregon, writes (in part): I have been playing Rifts® for about four years now and I love it.

[Hey, S.R., thanks. We love making it and all our games. Game on. – KS]

J.M. in San Antonio, Texas, writes: I love this Christmas Surprise Package option, and I am excited to be able to participate this year! Palladium is one of my favorite RPG producers! Happy Holidays.

D.W. in Baldwinsville, New York, writes: Was an avid collector, player and G.M. up till about 2000. Recently with Savage Worlds Rifts®, my friends are showing some interest in Rifts® again. So I thought this [Surprise Package] would be something cool. Thanks folks, Merry Christmas.

[Yep, Rifts® for Savage Worlds is a quality product. We got our package of books around Christmas and they are nice. Please let other Savage Worlds players know about the Surprise Package offer before it is over! – KS]

R.K. in Virginia Beach, Virginia, writes (in part): When it comes to Rifts®, it is my favorite pen and paper RPG. I try other ones, but I always come back to Rifts® because it is the perfect mix of science fiction and fantasy.

[High praise, R.K., it is very nice to hear. Game on! – KS]

M.L.M. in Meadville, P.A., writes (in part): Favorites: Rifts®, Dead Reign®, and Nightbane®! I just wanted to tell you guys how much these games mean to me and my friends. These games have become the topic at our weekly hangouts in my hometown. And all my friends look forward to when we gather at the gaming table, and listen to me weave a story for 4-5 hours ... I know this is a long winded comment, but I wanted to let you know that how much you put into it [the games], brings imagination and story telling to life ... I wish all of you at Palladium happy holidays.

[Thank you, M.L.M. Your heartfelt comment was long, but well written and greatly appreciated. We put our hearts and minds into every product we make, so it is rewarding and humbling to see comments like yours and realize how much joy our work brings to others. Talk about a great gift – not just for the holidays but through the year and across time. Amazing. Thanks again. Keep those imaginations burning as you and your friends weave countless new adventures. Happy New Year. – KS]

NEW! The Rifter® #76 – Ships January, 2017

The Rifter® #76 is filled with strange creatures, adventure and fun across the Megaverse® and multiple world settings.

Every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. It provides useful, ready to go source material you can just drop into your ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the many new characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, villains, monsters, adventures and ideas for one setting can be easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Every issue has material for Rifts® and usually 2-3 other Palladium game lines. The focus of this issue is Rifts®, Splicers® and RPG advice. Don’t forget, unofficial material can be easily adapted for use in ANY Palladium game setting.

Rifter® #76 Highlights:

Rifts®, Phase World®, and Palladium Fantasy RPG® – Elemental Primordials™, by Greg Diaczyk and Kevin Siembieda – “official” source material. Elemental Primordials are something new in the Megaverse®. No one knows why they are appearing or whether that is good or bad. These new Elemental beings can be used as player characters or NPCs. Four Elemental Primordials and four riding animals from the Elemental Realms. Their very existence sparks potential storylines and adventure ideas. Get your first glimpse of them in The Rifter® #76.

Rifts® Pecos Badlands Town – by Brett Caron. Thinking about doing some adventuring in the Rifts American Southwest? Mosey on over to Gohjjunk.

Rifts® for Savage Worlds® Preview®. Get another look at what’s coming this winter.

Splicers® – I am Legion, Part Five, by Charles Walton II, Chris Kluge and Lance Colley – “official” source material. The adventure reaches a fever pitch as we near the conclusion. More secrets, danger and combat.

Heroes Unlimited™, Ninjas & Superspies, Nightbane® – Blood Diamonds by Thomas Morrison presents adventure source material with a war-torn setting, story and NPCs in Africa. But it could be just the beginning of a globe spanning campaign.

Hell Followed™ – Now Shipping!

A Dead Reign® Sourcebook – Do more than survive

“This book begins to redefine the zombie genre. It broadens the field of possibilities and expands upon the modern zombie mythos. It is full of twists and surprises I had never imagined. – Alex Marciniszyn, Editor

In the wake of the Zombie Apocalypse, survivors find themselves trapped in a living hell. As everyone struggles to survive against the ravenous dead, some rise up to be heroes fighting for those in need and against all manner of evil – living and dead.

Be more than a survivor. Accept the new world and do something about it.

11 New types of zombies, including the Armored Brute, Dead Mound Giant, Seeker and more.

7 New Apocalyptic Character Classes.

Masked Lunatics – heroes or madmen?

Cults, good and bad, plus other weirdness and dangers.

21 Disasters to complicate survival. Each described with damage stats, penalties and consequences. The most comprehensive information of this type ever presented! Blizzard, Earthquake, Hurricane, Tornado, Toxic Spill, Wildfire, and more.

Government enclaves. Could the government or its military still exist? If so, where are they? What are they doing?

8 Government conspiracy theories. Each fuel for creating adventures and building different organizations.

Tables for creating government enclaves and their purpose.

Abandoned Emergency Relief Centers and the resources they may still have to offer survivors, if they can get to them. Random tables and ideas for adventure.

Take your zombie campaign to the next level!

Cover by E.M. Gist. Interior art by Nick Bradshaw.

Written by Taylor White and Kevin Siembieda. The biggest Dead Reign® sourcebook yet. Adaptable to other Palladium settings.

Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity™ changes the landscape of Rifts North America and beyond, presents ways to upgrade and improve existing Men-At-Arms characters with Advanced Training, and includes new character classes, weapons, equipment, alliances and conflict to inspire epic new adventures.

Rifts® Heroes of Humanity™ outlines the battle for the soul of humanity. The Minion War™ has spilled onto Rifts Earth. At the epicenter of the invasion is North America. If either of the two rival demonic forces succeeds in conquering the continent, the rest of the world shall follow and Earth will be annexed to Hell. The demon hordes believe no one can stop them. The Coalition States has something to say about that.

For the first time in history, the Coalition States, Northern Gun, the Manistique Imperium, Lazlo, New Lazlo, Free Quebec, the Cyber-Knights, Lemurians, True Atlanteans, D-Bees, mages, mercs and many, many others stand together against a common enemy. Meanwhile, the Splugorth of Atlantis, Archie Three, the Republicans and the Vanguard engage in their own shadow war against the invading demon hordes, and each other.

Heroes of Humanity™ lets unprecedented types of characters gather in mixed groups that would otherwise be ideologically opposed. Together they fight side-by-side for the greater good.

NEW! Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans™

True Atlanteans are descendants from Earth’s past. The survivors of the sinking of Atlantis (really a dimensional mishap) and travelers of the Megaverse, wielders of Tattoo Magic and other lost mystic arts. Most people regard them as heroes, but are they? The Sunaj Assassins are mythic villains feared by all, yet they too are True Atlanteans who serve dark forces.

For the first time, much of the story behind True Atlanteans and their secrets are revealed.

True Atlanteans revisited.

Optional Atlantean character creation tables including clan heritage and other factors.

Secrets of the stone pyramids, different types/purposes and powers.

Many new magic tattoos, magic spells, weapons and armor.

Atlantean hideouts and secret communities across the Megaverse.

The Sunaj Assassins, their secrets, history and plans for the future.

Atlantean Monster Hunter O.C.C., Atlantean Defender O.C.C. and much more. And this is just the tip of what this book contains.

NEW! Rifts® Poker Deck One (Color) – available now

For the first time ever, Rifts® is captured in a deck of playing cards. Each card a powerful image. Perfect for playing cards, collecting, gifts and use as an Action Deck for Pinnacle’s Rifts® Savage Worlds game line.

Gen Con gamers went wild over the two Rifts® Poker Decks and you will too. Both contain iconic Rifts® artwork and characters, and look gorgeous. The color and design of both poker decks makes the artwork pop and a joy to use. Available now.

Premium card stock.

Standard US Poker size deck of playing cards.

Rifts® specific symbols for each suit.

52 full color playing cards, plus 2 Jokers.

Diamonds are magic. Clubs are D-Bees. Hearts are heroes. Spades are the Coalition States.

The back of the cards is the artwork from the cover of Rifts® Ultimate Edition depicting a Ley Line Walker with an Alien Intelligence emerging from the Rift opening behind him, energy swirling. Art by Scott Johnson.

52 iconic images and characters by your favorite artists. This second deck of playing cards captures Rifts® in a different light. Each card features a different iconic, black and white illustration set in a color border of rippling magic energy from the Rifts. Illustrations are by a wide range of fan favorite artists. A fun and attractive item for playing cards, collecting, and other uses.

Premium card stock.

Standard US Poker size deck of playing cards.

Rifts® specific symbols for each suit.

Color border and suits.

52 playing cards featuring iconic illustrations, plus 2 Jokers.

Diamonds are monsters. Clubs are heroes. Hearts are robots and power armor. Spades are the Coalition Army.

Each card has a unique illustration of a famous Rifts® hero, monster, mech or agent of the Coalition. Artists include Kevin Long, Ramon K. Perez, Freddie Williams II, Michael Wilson, Jeffery Russell, Apollo Okamura, and others.

Customized, full color, Rifts® tuck box.

The back of the cards is the artwork from the cover of Rifts® Psyscape™ depicting a beautiful female psychic warrior, triumphant over a robotic enemy. Art by John Zeleznik.

Robotech®: The Masters Saga™ Sourcebook has been enlarged to the standard 8½ x 11 inch format and 160 pages. Artwork was given the deluxe treatment – large, clear, and detailed to go along with the wealth of information about the Second Robotech War, the Army of the Southern Cross, its combat forces, mecha, weapons, and vehicles. The same comprehensive treatment was given to the invading Robotech Masters.

Forget the corny drama, the emphasis of this sourcebook is on the Second Robotech War and the equipment on both sides. Making the Masters Saga a big mecha and equipment book that you will want in your collection. Did you know the Army of the Southern Cross used power armor and Battloids in addition to their famous mecha? You’ll find out all about it in this comprehensive 160 page sourcebook. Much of it described and statted out in an “official” capacity for the very first time in this sourcebook. Note: Only the size, size of artwork and layout has changed. The text and data are the same as the manga-sized edition, apart from eratta and minor additions.

40+ weapons; pistols, rifles, grenade launchers.

15 O.C.C.s and MOS skill packages for the 8 main branches of the ASC and the 7 Special Forces Divisions operating under the Tactical Corps.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™

Robotech® is getting hotter and hotter. It is the Number One Anime on Crackle, the Robotech® movie from Sony Pictures sounds like it is going to be become a reality, more Robotech® licensed products are appearing, and Palladium is gearing up toward the release of Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Wave Two and more Robotech® products. Ah, but the core game and expansion packs to get you started are available right now.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is a fast-paced, tabletop combat game that captures the action and adventure of the Robotech® anime. Two or more players can engage in small squad skirmishes or scale up to massive battles. Relive the clashes of the First Robotech War, engage in stand-alone tactical games, or use the dynamic game pieces to enhance your Robotech® RPG experience. Or simply collect your favorite mecha from an expanding range of top-notch game pieces. Get yours now.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Convention Exclusives – now available to anyone

These dynamic pieces are available as a regular item in the Palladium store. They are powerful fun and only have 4-6 parts, so they are easy to put together. They look awesome on your shelf or in your game. Get yours while supplies last.